Mapplethorpe Photos Donated To Italian Museums
Michael Ward Stout (president of the Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation) exclaims: “Mapplethorpe‘s appreciation of Renaissance art informed his work throughout his career.
He would have been honored to have his photographs housed in the collections of two such venerated museums that celebrate this tradition.
Mapplethorpe’s works continue to challenge viewers, both aesthetically and through their defiance of social paradigms. The fact that a significant number of institutions have chosen to examine the artist’s work at this time demonstrates that it remains as relevant today as it did when he was working over 20 years ago.”
Learn more here.
Robert Mapplethorpe by Andrew W.K.
My impression of Robert Mapplethorpe was formed throughout my childhood. First time I heard his name, I had no idea who he was or what he did, but I was left with the impression that, ‘this guy is a bad ass’. His name alone had powerful and elegantly dangerous sound. Something like hypodermic needles covered in syrup. He sounded like he was a professional in an area that mattered. I remember early on learning that he was a photographer who lived in New York City. It was later that I found out he was famous for taking naked pictures of people – famous for sexuality in general.
Robert Mapplethorpe’s art was the first to ever give me a lump in my throat, a taste in my mouth and a feeling of fear and wonder. I saw his photographs in art book stores, specifically looking up his name, trying to see for myself what I had heard so much about. There was controversy – questions of whether something was art or not – my teacher even talked about him in our high school law class (but wouldn’t let us see his pictures). He was off-limits but he was everywhere. For me, Robert Mapplethorpe came to represent a powerful and inspiring type of freedom and accomplishment – doing exactly what he wanted to do and doing it extremely. His approach to being human allowed him a fullness of life and expression – a presence that you couldn’t deny – it provoked people to think about him and his life, and in turn, their own life and living in general. That’s about all an artist could ever hope to do and more.
